I used to collect dolls from around the world when I was a child.That would have made me a “plangonologist”.Now, my daughter plays with them, so it isn’t much of a collection. I began a new collection within the last 20 years.I collect periodic tables from around the world. I wonder if there is a word for this other than “nerdy”?I doubt it.

Most recently, I have been collecting other things, quite ardently I admit.The funny thing about my most recent collections is that I don’t keep them for very long.I find them and then give them away.Let me tell you about them.

1.Box Tops for Education – Each time I cook a meal, I seem to find one of these labels on a can or box.It is easy to remove the label.Most of the time I am taking the label off a can or cereal box anyway to recycle it.I take off the label and collect it in an empty canister.Today, as I made lunch, I found one on my Progresso Soup Can.﻿

My soup can had a Box Top$ for Education label on it.

Both DAR Schools gladly accept the Box Top$ for Education from DAR members.

They can be used to purchase computers, books, playground equipment and much more.If you don’t know much about the DAR Schools, take a look: http://www.kdsdar.com/ and http://www.tdarschool.org/ .They positively change the lives of children every day.Ask your DAR School chapter chairman to start collecting them at your meeting.She can then send them once a month to either school.Don’t forget, they have an expiration date, so be sure to send them soon.Here are the addresses to make it convenient for you.

2.Labels for Education – The DAR Schools also accept the UPC labels and lids from participating Campbell products.The KDS DAR School uses them to purchase computers and software.The Tamassee DAR School hopes to purchase needed vans for student transportation.Collect them at your meetings and send them to either of the schools at the addresses previously shown.

My lunch today also used a product that had a Campbell’s Labels for Education, and it wasn’t soup!It was my bread.Keep an eye out for these labels…they are everywhere it seems.

My bread has a Campbell's Labels for Education label on it.

3.Plastic Bottle Caps – Our State Conservation Chairman started a contest last year.The chapter that recycled the most plastic caps would be recognized at state conference.I have been a ‘recycler’ for almost 10 years now, rinsing my bottles and cans and taking my newspapers to the community ‘bin’.However, I didn’t understand the need to recycle the plastic bottle caps separately, so I did a little research.Apparently, the tops to my water and soda bottles are made of a different plastic than the rest of the bottle.This means that all the tops that I threw into the regular recycle bin probably ended up in the landfill.So, now I have a separate canister for my caps.If you want to find out where to recycle your plastic caps, just go to http://earth911.com/ and enter ‘#5 Plastic Caps’ for Find recycling centers, and for near, enter your zip code and click ‘Search’.This will give you a listing of places that recycle plastic caps within a 25 mile radius of you.

4.Ink Cartridges – Did you know that several of the DAR Schools accept empty computer ink cartridges as donations?You DAR Schools Chairman may contact each of the schools to determine how to submit these ink cartridges.They will submit them to companies that give them cash rebates.It doesn’t cost anything to ship these cartridges, either!

5.Cell Phones – This is my smallest collection, but it is nonetheless, an important one.There is a nonprofit organization that was started by two teenagers.They collect used cell phones.They sell them to a recycling company and then use the money to purchase phone cards to give to soldiers.According to their web site: “Cell Phones for Soldiers is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military.”Do you have any cell phones to recycle?You can check this organization out at http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

If your chapter would spread the word,

I am sure you could get quite a few to donate their old cell phones.

So, as DAR members, we say we want to make a positive difference in the world around us.These are five ways for you to start making a difference, whether you attend a chapter meeting or not.Become a collector, and make a positive difference in your world today.Oh – and there’s a word for this kind of collector…“Daughter”.